A Christmas Eve Surprise
by forsaken2003
Summary: While patrolling Spike and Xander find something unusual in the woods.


Title: A Christmas Eve Surprise

Author: Forsaken2003

Pairing: S/X

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Joss Whedon

Comments: Always welcomed!

Summary: While patrolling Spike and Xander find something unusual in the woods.

Warnings/Spoilers: Season 5 No Dawn or Glory

Beta'd by: Unbeta'd

Spike was pissed. How did he end up on patrol duty on Christmas Eve? "Why did we get stuck patrolling on bloody Christmas?" Spike asked aloud clearly annoyed.

"Because you don't celebrate Christmas and I'm avoiding my alcoholic family," Xander explained. "Besides I thought you liked patrolling? So why are you complaining?"

Spike placed a cigarette between his lips. "I do, but we are not going to find a demon let a long a single fledge tonight."

"Then why did you drag me into the woods?" Xander demanded.

"I didn't drag you anywhere. You're following me like the lap dog you are."

Xander rolled his eyes. "It's Christmas, do you think you could try and be nice?"

Spike was about to argue that it wasn't Christmas, that it was Christmas Eve but he sighed instead and said, "fine, consider it your Christmas present."

"Really? Thanks," Xander responded. He was sure he was going to get a snarky reply. "So why are we in the woods?"

"I'm hoping that there is a nasty hiding out. If I don't get to kill something everyday, I get grumpy," Spike told Xander.

Xander managed to bite his tongue and not say that a kill a day was not helping with Spike being a grump. "Sounds good. Hopefully there's no tentacles."

Spike grunted in agreement. Demons with tentacles always ended up sliming you.

They were both quiet which Spike welcomed. Until there was a loud crunch making him vamp out and swing his head around looking for the demon that made the noise. There was no demon, only Xander gnawing on a bloody carrot. "What are you doing?"

"What? I'm hungry," Xander defended himself.

"You're always bloody hungry!" Spike hissed. "If you keep making all that racket, we'll never find a demon."

Xander glowered and mumbled, "what happened to being nice?"

Okay so being nice didn't last long when it came to Spike. "Sorry, being nice is…"

"Hard?" Xander finished for him. "Don't worry about it. I can't tell you how are it was for me to be nice to Angel. Being nice to him was like me studying for science and getting an A. It never happened. Well maybe once or twice and it almost killed me."

"You hate the pouf that much?" Spike asked.

Xander nodded. "You my dead friend are my favourite vampire."

"Never been anyone's favourite anything before," Spike admitted.

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Xander answered.

Spike tried to think of something to say but thankfully was interrupted by cry that echoed through the trees. A cry that wasn't human. Before Spike could blink Xander was dashing off like the white knight that he was. With a huff Spike ran after him. It wouldn't be nice of him if he let Xander die now would it?

Xander was able to track the noises easily enough. He had no clue what he was running head first into but someone… something needed help.

By the time he came to a clearing Spike caught up to him. There were three vampires huddled over a large animal that was pushed over onto its sides. Its legs kicking to get free with no luck.

Both Spike and Xander pulled out their stakes and attacked. Xander staked one while Spike ripped one away causing the animal to cry out in distress. "Be careful, Spike!" Xander snapped. While he was distracted scolding Spike the third vampire tackled Xander to the ground making him drop his stake and knocking the air out of him.

"I'll gladly take a human over a stupid deer any day!" The vampire snapped his sharp teeth inches from Xander's face.

Xander didn't look afraid. "You're going to be really disappointed than. Bad little vampires get holy water for Christmas."

"Huh?" The vampire had a tiny squirt gun pointed at his face. "That's not going to kill me."

"No but it's going to hurt like a bitch." That was followed by a long spray of holy water.

The vampire howled and rolled off Xander allowing him to scramble for his stake. The kill was easy enough for Xander. The holy water managed to find its way into the vampire's eyes. When the dust settled there was clapping. Spike was standing there his fight ending early.

"Seriously? You just stood there and watched?" Xander asked clambering to his feet.

"Didn't look like you needed much assistance from where I was standing," Spike commented. "The water gun was a nice touch. I didn't even know you had holy water." Spike didn't know how he felt about Xander not telling him about all the weapons he had on him.

Xander shoved the water gun into his pocket. "Yeah, sorry about that. I know it has to be hard being around stakes all the time but holy water as well? I just didn't want to worry about it." Xander paused. "Not that I think you'd really be worried," Xander said trying to make Spike think he wasn't still the big bad.

Xander was already moving to the downed animal before Spike could reply. Not that Spike knew what he would say. Instead he watched as Xander carefully made his way to the injured animal trying to not to startled it more than it already had been. Spike knew the animal would be fine.

"Woah… um, Spike?" Xander said as he knelt beside the animal. "I don't think this is a deer. I think it's… Rudolph."

"Rudolph?" Spike snorted. "Did you hit your head when the fledge attacked?"

Xander shook his head. "So, its nose isn't glowing red?"

Sure, that Xander has some sort of concussion Spike came over to look and tell Xander he needed to go to the hospital. Opening his mouth ready to tell Xander he was crazy when he saw what Xander saw a strangled noise came out.

"Is he going to be okay?" Xander asked worried. The bleeding had stopped but the reindeer was still on his side.

Spike knelt down and patted Rudolph on the side. "He'll be fine. Could probably use something to eat."

Xander whipped out his bag of carrots. "Reindeers like carrots, right?"

"That's what all the stories say," Spike answered. "Bloody Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer."

"You hungry, boy?" Xander asked as he held a carrot in front of Rudolph's mouth. "It's okay, we're not going to hurt you."

Rudolph seemed to understand what Xander was saying before he opened his mouth accepting the carrot.

"Good, boy," Xander crooned. He handfed Rudolph until all the carrots were done. After a few minutes Rudolph was able to stand. "I bet you feel much better."

"Told you he'd be fine," Spike said as he petted Rudolph's nose.

Xander nodded, relieved. "What do we do now though? Do you think Santa is looking for him?"

Santa, Spike scoffed. A hundred and twenty-seven years old and Spike had stopped believing in Santa when he was eight years old. How the hell could Santa be real? "The fat man probably has a tracker on him."

"Shouldn't he be here by now, then? Maybe something happened to him and the other reindeer?"

"If that were the case Rudolph would be a bit more panicked. I don't know much about Old Saint Nick but I'm sure this isn't the first time he's lost one of his herd," Spike said. Santa bloody Claus was real!

Suddenly there were bells jingling from above them and then landing in front of them was a beautiful red with gold trim sleigh.

This couldn't be happening! "Santa!" Xander cried feeling five years old again back before his father told him Santa wasn't real when he was six… on Christmas Eve. He felt like crying.

"Hello, Xander. William," Santa greeted as he climbed out of the sleigh. He was wearing his famous red suit. His stomach was large and Xander wondered if it shook like a bowl full of jelly. He walked over to Rudolph and rubbed his snout. "Rudolph, we've talked about this. How many times do we have to go through this? You can't chew through your reins and go off on your own!"

Rudolph put his head down as he got chastised… again.

Santa addressed Xander and Spike. "Nine hundred years old and he still acts like a calf. He's a good boy he just gets so excited on this night. Did he get himself into any trouble?"

Spike and Xander shared a look not sure if they should tell the truth. But it was Santa, he'd know if they were lying. "Um… a few vamps found him but we dusted them before Rudolph was too badly injured."

"We were a little worried but we gave him some carrots and it seemed to pick him right up," Xander added. "Will he be okay?"

Leading Rudolph back to other reindeer, Santa used magic to fix the reins, connecting him back to the other eight reindeer. "He'll be fine. This wouldn't be the first vampire attack any of them have dealt with, unfortunately." When he was sure Rudolph was secure Santa went to the back of the sleigh and began to dig through his magical bags. He pulled out a present and handed it to Xander. "You've been a good boy this year, Xander."

Xander's face lit up like a kid on Christmas, which it was. He ripped open the pretty wrapping and squealed in delight. "An original NES console, with all three Mario Bros. games! I wanted this so badly as a kid! I asked my parents all year for one." Xander looked up at Santa. "Thank you so much!"

"Enjoy it, it's good to have some fun every once in a while. What's the point in saving the world if you don't enjoy it?" Santa asked, looking over his wired rim glasses at Xander.

Spike wrapped his arms around himself with a slight pout. Of course, he didn't get a pressie. He wasn't good. But was he really bad anymore?

"What about, Spike?" Xander asked making Spike give himself whiplash at how fast his head moved.

Santa tapped the box in Xander's hand. "Playing video games with a friend is better than playing alone."

"Oh…" Xander said. "Um… we're not friends though."

Was that sadness Spike heard his Xander's voice? "I like video games," Spike responded. It was true. He was a master at Donkey Kong. "I've never played this before. Could be fun."

The smile that was on Xander's face when Santa arrived came back. And it was because of Spike. Spike made Xander look that happy. Why did that warm him so much?

Santa clapped his hands pleased with the outcome. "You boys have fun. And remember to be good!" And with that Santa was back in the sleigh, the reindeer already taking off. "The last thing Spike and Xander heard was "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"

They both stood there still in shock that they just met Santa. The real Santa. Xander finally broke the silence. "Do you want to go back to my place and set this bad boy up?"

Spike was going to decline and head back to his own place when he realized something. He didn't want to be alone on Christmas and it seemed like Xander didn't either. "It's late. You don't have to be anywhere today? Plans with the rest of the _white hats_?"

"Everyone has plans. Buffy with her family, Giles is in England visiting Olivia. Willow doesn't celebrate Christmas because… Jewish. So, her and Tara are at some sort of meditation retreat." Xander paused. "I was thinking if you don't have any vampire Christmas traditions you secretly do, we could I don't know spend Christmas together? We can order Chinese food or pizza and spend the day playing video games," he said. "I've got black out drapes and the couch is pretty comfy if you want sleep."

"Food, video games and a comfy place to sleep? How can I turn down an invite like that?" Spike asked.

"Great! Let's go!" Xander replied with a smile. This might be his best Christmas yet.

The End


End file.
